A Blessing in Disguise
by FromageFondue
Summary: It all began with a nightmare. Armed with the knowledge of the future, Harry and Dumbledore strive to end Lord Voldemort once and for all. Hope can be found, even in the darkest times, for in every curse is a blessing in disguise. AU GoF. Oneshot.


_**"Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken, you will resurrect your foe."**_

 _-Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire-_

Pain.

The only thing he could feel was intense, throbbing pain that overwhelmed his mind. It felt as if every nerve in his brain was on fire and being brutally torn apart.

Then, in the midst of his suffering, he heard a soft voice, calling his name. "Harry."

Harry. That was his name. But where was he, and why was he in such torment?

"Madam Pomfrey! He's waking up!" he heard another voice shout.

The third person, a sharp and feminine voice, asked, "Mister Potter, can you hear me?"

A warm, tasteless substance flowed into his mouth, and Harry could vaguely hear a song-like chanting of words. After what felt like eternity, his senses gradually returned to him. The world became less blurry, and the throbbing that dominated his head slowly vanished.

The first person he recognized was Professor Dumbledore, who looked as if he had aged a couple more decades since Harry last saw the old wizard.

"P-professor," Harry wheezed. His throat was raw and his mouth dry, making it very difficult to produce any sound at all.

"Yes, Harry," said Dumbledore. The people around him breathed a collective sigh of relief. "Can you hear me?"

Harry nodded and tried to sit up, only to feel pain sprinting down his body.

"No, please don't get up. Your body needs rest."

Harry slowly turned his head to look around him. Ron stood in front of the bed, his face paler than ever. Next to him was Hermione, whose eyes looked puffy from crying. Madam Pomfrey stared at him analytically from beside the bed, and Harry could tell that she wanted to kick everyone out of the Hospital Wing so that she could properly examine him.

"What happened?" Harry finally asked.

"Well, we were sleeping in our dorms when you started screaming like a banshee," said Ron. "Probably woke the entire Gryffindor Tower, mate." He faltered when he saw Hermione glaring at him. "I mean, er, yeah. Your scar bled like crazy as well. We brought you here as quickly as possible and called for Professor Dumbledore."

"Harry," Dumbledore said gently, though his eyes carried a sense of urgency. "What happened? What made you feel so much agony?"

"Headmaster, surely this can wait until the morning?" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed. "Can't you see that Mister Potter is suffering? He must have rest, and I must examine my patient!"

"I apologize, Poppy, but this may need immediate attention. I must insist."

Madam Pomfrey looked like she wanted to protest, but remained silent.

Dumbledore turned to Ron and Hermione. "May I have a moment with Harry privately?"

His friends quietly obeyed and were led out of the Hospital Wing by Madam Pomfrey. Only Dumbledore and Harry were left in the room.

"Harry, what happened?"

"It was a dream, a nightmare," Harry said wearily. He paused for a moment before continuing, "But, I… I don't know. It felt so real, as if it was actually happening to me. As if I've been to that graveyard before."

Dumbledore's eyes lit at the word graveyard. "I assume your nightmare was about Lord Voldemort?"

Harry nodded. His head was splitting and his eyes felt heavy. _Couldn't Dumbledore just leave him to rest and ask about this later?_

"I understand you must be hurting and very tired, Harry. But this information may be crucial, for your safety and that of others. Please, tell me about your dream."

And so, Harry did. He told Dumbledore how he was sprinting towards the Triwizard Cup during the Third Task. How the cup was a portkey that brought him to a graveyard. How Wormtail captured him, killed Cedric Diggory, and forcibly took away his blood. How Lord Voldemort, with his father's bones, servant's flesh, and enemy's blood, rose to life once again.

Dumbledore listened to the tale with rapt attention, his blue eyes not leaving Harry for a moment. Once Harry finished speaking, Dumbledore said, "Thank you, Harry. You have shown great courage tonight, courage beyond what a person twice your age could possess. May I ask you for one last thing?"

The old wizard paused for a moment, as if he was trying to recollect his thoughts. "I need to see exactly what happened in your nightmare, the details and the precise circumstances. I will use a technique called Legilimency, which will allow me to view your memory of the nightmare. I give you my word that I will not delve upon any other memory but your dream. Will you allow me to do this?"

Harry hesitantly nodded.

Dumbledore bowed his head in gratitude. "Then, if you would look into my eyes. Legilimens."

Immediately, Harry felt that something was off, as if there was something, or someone, other than him in his mind. He frowned. It didn't hurt, but it felt rather unnatural.

"Please don't struggle, Harry," Dumbledore's voice rang in his mind. "Keep your mind as blank as possible. The less you resist, the sooner I will be able to find the memory and exit from your mind."

Harry obeyed. The Hospital Wing disappeared from his vision, and was replaced with image after image that flashed through his mind: the Hungarian Horntail chasing after him in the Quidditch Stadium, Hermione rushing off after the disastrous Yule Ball, the Mermish village in the Great Lake. Dumbledore's mental probe advanced through his mind steadily, searching for the memory it was seeking without stopping on a single irrelevant memory, just as the headmaster had promised. After a minute or so, the foreign feeling was lifted from his mind, and Harry found himself back in the Hospital Wing.

Dumbledore slumped down in his seat, in what seemed like… weariness? For the first time Harry had seen him, Dumbledore looked just tired, like an old man rather than the great wizard that even Voldemort feared. And yet, there seemed to be a sparkle in his eyes, a gleam of victory.

"So Little Hangleton, it was. That was what you were after, Tom," Dumbledore muttered to himself as he looked out of the window, his mind seeming to be elsewhere for a moment.

Dumbledore then turned towards Harry, his eyes warm again. "Harry, words cannot express my gratitude to you. With your courage, you may have saved the Wizarding World again. You have revealed Lord Voldemort's plans months before the allotted time. This will allow us to plan in advance and strike him when he is at his weakest."

"But, Professor. How can you be sure that this dream is genuine? I mean, it's just a dream, isn't it?"

"Because of your connection with Voldemort, Harry. While you were still suffering from your nightmare, your scar was bleeding heavily and reacting in the most horrendous manner. According to my observations over the last few years, your scar reacts when Voldemort feels a strong emotion, such as rage or trepidation. This is the reason why you had that particular dream last summer."

Harry blinked. He didn't know that Dumbledore was aware of his other nightmare.

As if he heard Harry's thoughts, Dumbledore said, "You are not the only one in correspondence with Sirius."

After a short silence, Dumbledore continued, "It is evident that Voldemort was planning to capture you during the Third Task and kill you shortly after using your blood for his resurrection. By doing so, your death would have been seen as a tragic accident during the Triwizard Tournament, not as a premeditated murder. This, I believe, is why you have been entered in the Tournament in the first place: so that Voldemort could snatch you away while our attention was elsewhere. Always remember that Lord Voldemort operates in the shadows with deceit and treachery."

"Did you know about this before?" Harry asked in a slightly demanding tone.

"I have guessed, and my guesses have, usually, been correct until now. But today, you have affirmed my suspicion. Thanks to your dream, that is. Your connection with Lord Voldemort has truly been a blessing in disguise. Now, we will be able to use Voldemort's plans against him, with months of time at our advantage. If we play our cards correctly, we may vanquish Voldemort once and for all."

A statement like that should have made him cheerful at least the very least, but Harry was too tired to react right now.

Noticing Harry's lack of reply, Dumbledore stood up. "I believe your friends are anxiously waiting for you. As difficult as it may be, you must not tell anyone about your dream, not even to Mister Weasley or Miss Granger.

"I cannot stress the importance of secrecy enough. The lives of thousands of people may depend on our success. We cannot afford to have this information leaked. Do I have your word that you will not speak of this to anybody?"

"Yes, Professor."

Dumbledore smiled once more. "Very well. I will leave you to rest now. Otherwise, Poppy might have my head. Good night, Harry."

Harry stared at Dumbledore's retreating figure and gave out a sigh of relief. Surely Dumbledore, the wisest and most powerful wizard he knew, would come up with a plan to finish Voldemort. Everything would be fine soon. Without Voldemort trying to kill him every year, he could finally live the normal life that he always wanted. His nightmare, despite it being extremely painful, was probably the best thing that had ever happened to him until now.

Lady Fortune, it seemed, had favored him once more.

* * *

Three months passed like a breeze as the night of the Third Task approached rapidly. After the nightmare, life had become normal again. At least, as normal as it could get for Harry Potter.

Harry was discharged from the Hospital Wing after two days of rest and many, many evaluations by Madam Pomfrey. During the first few weeks, dozens of rumors had popped up about Harry Potter's turbulent night, each one more far-fetched than the previous. However, the ruckus soon calmed down as the students got bored of the topic and turned their attention of gossip to who knew what.

Harry continued what he was doing before the nightmare, learning new spells and practicing them with his friends for the third task, but with increased fervor. While Ron and Hermione were very curious about what had happened on that night, they respected his privacy and did not badger him about it once he told them that he could say nothing. For that, he was extremely thankful.

"Acid pops," Harry said. The gargoyle moved to the left, allowing him passage to the Headmaster's Office. He walked up the staircase and knocked on the door.

"Enter!" Dumbledore's voice rang out.

The moment Harry opened the door, he was tackled by a large, black dog. The dog pinned him to the ground and assaulted him with one lick after another, wagging his tail playfully throughout the entire process.

"Padfoot! Urgh, stop! That's disgusting!"

Sirius turned back into his human form and gave Harry a hug while laughing heartily.

Harry looked around. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled in amusement as he watched Sirius' antics. To his side was Professor Lupin, who gave Harry a short smile before pulling Sirius off the young boy. Professor Moody sat on a wooden chair, his magical eye darting back and forth as if he was trying to detect any sort of trouble. Maybe Harry was imagining it, but he looked even more paranoid than ever, if such a thing was possible.

There were about a dozen more people in the room, who all came up to greet him. This gave him a strange sense of déjà vu; It felt like the time when he first arrived in the Leaky Cauldron. Most notable to Harry out of the group was a girl with bubblegum pink hair and a dark-skinned wizard who introduced himself as Kingsley. Both were wearing Auror robes.

The robes triggered a memory, and Harry suddenly remembered that Sirius was still a wanted man. His heart stopped for a moment.

"Wait, but Sirius! You're—"

"It's okay, Harry," Sirius said. "Everybody here knows that I'm innocent. Dumbledore told them the truth."

Harry sighed in relief.

"Alastor, if you will?" Dumbledore said to Moody, who groggily stood up from his chair and came over to Harry. "Harry, I would like to introduce you to the real Professor Moody. Alastor, this is, as you know, Harry Potter."

Harry blinked. "What do you mean 'real' Professor Moody? You mean—"

"—The Moody in class right now is a fraud?" barked Moody. "Obviously, Potter. He's an impostor, a Death Eater sent by Voldemort in disguise."

"So, you're telling me that there's a rogue Death Eater running around in Hogwarts?" said Harry incredulously.

"Running around, no," Dumbledore replied. "He's been under our control the last few months. But yes, the fake Professor Moody is a Death Eater under disguise. To be more precise, under the Polyjuice Potion, which you and your friends should be very familiar with."

Dumbledore looked at Harry amusedly as he said the last few words. Harry stared at the Headmaster incredulously before groaning internally. Of course Dumbledore knew about the Polyjuice incident.

Dumbledore turned serious again and continued, "He is the one who put your name in the Goblet of Fire under Voldemort's orders. Even before you told me about your dream, I've had suspicions about our newest Defense against Dark Arts Professor. Alastor and I have been friends for a long time, and I've noticed several things about the impostor that, as the Muggles would say, didn't click. And when I was informed by Severus that ingredients used to brew the Polyjuice Potion were stolen, I was able to connect the dots."

"Why haven't you captured him, then?" Harry asked, confused.

"We did capture him, Harry. Two months ago, in fact. It required much planning, since we could not afford a single mistake. One slip would have alerted Lord Voldemort that we were aware of his plans. But while it was difficult and rather time consuming, we were able to capture him, and once we did, we interrogated him with Veritaserum and Legilimency. By doing this, we were able to confirm Voldemort's plans. Of course, we obliviated and Confunded the impostor afterwards so that he would think he just had tea and some Muggle candies with me."

"But why is Professor Moody—I mean the impostor—still here in Hogwarts? Why didn't you just lock him up? He could be dangerous."

"If we did that, Voldemort would have known in an instant that something was wrong," Moody replied. "We cannot allow Voldemort to know what we're planning. No, he must not even have a hint. Secrecy is essential if our plans are to succeed."

Dumbledore said, "As for him being a danger, we've placed several compulsion charms on him so that he would never cause any major harm. Do believe us, Harry, when we say that he is completely harmless to the students."

"Okay," Harry said in acceptance, although he did feel uncomfortable thinking that a Death Eater had been teaching the entire year. "May I ask why you've called me?"

Dumbledore smiled. "We have called to inform you what we have planned for tomorrow night." He turned to Harry's former Defense Professor. "Remus, if you will."

Lupin nodded and said, "We've decided to carry out our mission without any outsider knowing about it. Alerting the Ministry about Voldemort's return would cause major complications, as well as increase the risk of a leak. Instead, we believed it would be better to notify a few individuals who we can trust about Voldemort's return. The people in this room are those who have actively opposed Voldemort during the last war—"

"—And if you were wondering, Mad-Eye here was the one in charge of the secrecy," Sirius interrupted, and Lupin rolled his eyes, as if this was a regular occurrence. "So, I'm certain that there can be absolutely no possibility of a leak."

Lupin continued, "So, the plan is that once you reach the Triwizard Cup—and I'm certain that you will, considering that the impostor will actively stop the other champions from winning, but never go to the point of actually harming them because of our Confundus Charm—our group will step in and take a portkey to Voldemort's location. Voldemort, in his non-human state, will not be able defend himself from a dozen of the most talented wizards in Magical Britain. And because Voldemort has not rallied his Death Eaters yet, he will not have any defenders other than his snake and Wormtail, both of which we can easily detain. We will capture Voldemort, and then decide on the best way to deal with him."

"I want to be in," Harry said adamantly. Everyone in the room turned to look at him, making him feel rather uncomfortable at the attention.

Lupin looked worried. "Harry, it may be dangerous. It would be much safer if you—"

"You said that Voldemort wouldn't have any proper defenses. I'll be safe with all of you."

Lupin turned to Dumbledore, who was silently looking at Harry, thinking of what he should do.

"Very well," Dumbledore said finally. "You may come with us."

There were several voices of protest, especially among the older wizards in the room. One of them spoke up, "Dumbledore, are you sure that would be wise? Doing so will bring an unnecessary risk, both to Mister Potter and to the mission."

Harry felt anger rise up inside him. How dare that man insinuate that he would be a hindrance to the success of the task?

But before Harry said anything, he felt Dumbledore rest his hand on his shoulder. Harry saw Dumbledore smile understandingly to him before addressing the wizard. "Do not worry, Elphias. As Remus said, Voldemort will not pose a threat. In his arrogance, he has not considered the prospect of failure, and has made no preparations in case he fails. At no point will Harry be in danger, or risk the mission."

"But—"

"Mister Potter was the one who vanquished Voldemort a decade ago. He is also the one who has made this opportunity possible. There is none more deserving, or fitting, to witness the final fall of Lord Voldemort than Mister Potter. Should he wish to accompany us in our endeavor, I will welcome him wholeheartedly."

The old wizard nodded in grudging acceptance. Harry beamed at Dumbledore.

"Now that that's settled, let us go through the details and individual roles in our plan. Alastor, you will, as we have planned..."

* * *

After a disorienting Portkey ride that made him feel slightly nauseous, Harry landed on the ground, on his feet unlike the last time. He looked around and saw the familiar graveyard from his dream. He pulled his wand out and walked slowly through the dark burial ground, staying vigilant for any sign of Voldemort and Wormtail.

A dark outline of a small church was visible in Harry's near peripheral vision. Beyond the graveyard was a small hill, and Harry could vaguely see an ancient, large house in a distance. A large, stone tomb stood proudly to Harry's left, but he paid no attention to its name. In the center of the graveyard was a large yew tree, on top of which was a black crow. The pitch-dark avian stared directly at Harry before flying off.

Without warning, Harry's scar exploded in pain. He fell to the ground and put his hands over his forehead, trying to ease the sudden, splitting pain. He raised his head to see a short figure approaching steadily from the darkness. Despite his agony and the obscurity of the graveyard, Harry could tell that it was carrying something.

 _Wormtail and Voldemort_ , Harry thought.

In a flash of light, Dumbledore appeared next to him and cast the Anti-Disapparition Jinx faster than Harry could have ever imagined. Before Wormtail could register what was happening, Sirius appeared behind him and cast the Disarming Spell, making the rat's wand to fly off. Sirius then proceeded to send a Full-Body Bind Curse at Pettigrew, and Harry heard a "thump" as the former Marauder fell to the floor, frozen.

Sirius grinned, satisfied in his work. "Well, that was easy!"

"Don't get too cocky, yet." From beside him, Lupin bound the paralyzed Pettigrew with the Incarcerous Spell for good measure.

"Harry, you okay?" Sirius asked worriedly.

Harry nodded as the pain wore off. Dumbledore helped him get up, and together, they walked towards where Pettigrew lay stiff.

"What an anticlimactic end for the dark wizard who terrorized the nation for three generations," Sirius said haughtily.

The Order members gathered around him, most of them having lowered their wands, as they believed everything to be over. Only Moody, who was next to Dumbledore, remained vigilant, keeping his wand up and observing the surrounding graveyard.

Sirius approached what Pettigrew was carrying, which was now fallen upside down on the ground.

"Now, let's take a look at Dark Lord Voldemort, shall we?"

He turned bundle of robes over… and found a loaf of bread inside.

 _What?_

" _Avada Kedavra_!" Moody roared, and a deadly green light flew straight at Dumbledore, striking the Headmaster as he turned. Moody was too close and too fast for even the most accomplished duelist to avoid, and Dumbledore fell to the ground lifelessly.

Before anyone could process what happened, multiple voices were heard around them, and spells flew from all directions. Order members, completely defenseless against the coming spells, fell like autumn leaves in the winter wind. Elphias Doge, who realized what was happening, tried to disapparate away but was halted by Dumbledore's Anti-Disapparition Jinx and struck with a nasty looking orange beam.

Then, out of the corner of his eyes, Harry saw a jet of bright blue light coming towards him. Harry tried casting the Shield Charm he learned from Dumbledore a few days ago, but was too late and the blue light enveloped him.

The last thing Harry heard before unconsciousness swept over him was a yell of " _Morsmordre_!"

* * *

Harry woke up with a tremendous headache. The first thing he noticed was that it was dark. Night had fallen, and the moon and stars shone brightly, the light casting a shadow that fell towards Harry as it failed to pass the large yew tree. Then, he realized that he was still in the graveyard.

His memory of earlier that evening flooded into his mind, and Harry felt chills run down his spine and dread squeeze his gut.

Dumbledore. Sirius. Remus. The Order members. All dead.

He tried to move, but to his surprise, found himself bound to something he could not identify. He struggled, trying to escape from the bindings, but found them to be too strong.

The numb disbelief that dominated his mind and senses metamorphosed into furious denial. He hoped, so desperately, that this was all a nightmare, that none of these people were dead, that he would wake up to find himself back in the Hospital Wing. But the tingling sensation in his forehead and the soreness of his body shattered the little hope he had.

"So, the sleeper awakens," said a smooth voice from next to him.

Harry frantically turned to the left and was met with scarlet eyes and a serpentine face whiter than snow: the face that haunted his nightmares since he first saw it three years ago.

"V-voldemort."

All blood had drained from Harry's head, making him feel lightheaded and nauseous.

Voldemort's face remained impassive as he leaned forward towards Harry. "You dare call the Dark Lord by his name? As if he is your equal? _Crucio_."

Harry closed his eyes, determined not to scream and give Voldemort the satisfaction. His resolve did not last even a second.

It was pain beyond anything he had ever felt, pain so excruciating and intense that he wanted to die, to stop feeling anything. Every muscle and bone burned, as if he was stung by a thousand scorpions. He bit his tongue and blood flowed freely from his mouth, yet that felt like nothing in comparison to the pain the torture curse brought.

Then, it stopped. His head dropped in exhaustion and his body hanged limply in the ropes that bound him. Blood flowed down from his mouth, staining the ground below him crimson.

Voldemort stared down at him in disapproval, as if he was disappointed in the boy. "Considering the years you have taken from me—thirteen long years of pain beyond pain—you deserve to be tortured mercilessly in this excruciating pain to the point of insanity. However, Lord Voldemort is merciful, especially towards those who have been most useful to him."

 _Useful?_

"H-how?" Harry rasped out, swallowing a mouthful of blood and coughing it out violently afterwards.

To Harry's surprise, Voldemort smiled at him for the first time, and it was more terrifying than anything he had ever seen before.

"How did I know?" he said, before bursting out in cruel laughter. "You must understand, Harry, that I find this most humorous. How did I know? How could I _not_ know, when it was I that sent you the nightmare."

Harry stared at Voldemort mindlessly at hearing these words.

"I must start from the beginning, for this is a fascinating tale, one that you will not bleed out on."

Voldemort pointed his wand at Harry's face and healed the bleeding mouth wordlessly. Harry stared back defiantly, before his body curved involuntarily as a sharp pain pierced his stomach.

"Has Dumbledore not taught you any manners, to thank those who show mercy to you?" Voldemort said condescendingly.

"Now, listen closely, Harry, for you must understand the grave mistake you and Dumbledore committed tonight."

He turned away, as if he was admiring the view of the graveyard. "You must have believed that I would use your blood to resurrect my body tonight. The truth is, I had regained my body months before, last September to be precise."

"But you would have need my blood!" Harry yelled.

Voldemort whipped his wand and turned to Harry, silencing him almost effortlessly. "Now, Harry, remember: One must not interrupt others. As for your blood, yes, the Regeneration Potion required it, and you had provided it to me, again on last September. But you must not remember, so allow me to enlighten you.

"Last September, my agent infiltrated Hogwarts as the Defense Against Dark Arts Professor, as you must remember. What you do not remember is that he imperiused you the night of your first class with him and brought you to me."

 _But that couldn't be right_ , Harry thought. _The Imperius Curse has no effect on me._

"That is what we wanted you, or more specifically Dumbledore, to believe," Voldemort said, reading his mind. "No, the truth is that my agent _Confunded_ you to believe that you were unaffected, but in reality, you were like every other student. That night, he brought you to me and restored my physical body, for which he will be most highly rewarded. You, of course, were obliviated and planted false memories so that no one would suspect anything.

"However, before I sent you back, I realized that we shared a most peculiar connection, one that could be used to link our minds. I decided to exploit this connection to my advantage, to employ it in such a manner that I was able to fool one of the most brilliant minds in the Wizarding World, Albus Dumbledore. After all, you were never my true enemy, Dumbledore was. As long as he led a resistance against me, conquering Magical Britain would be most difficult."

For a moment, Harry saw something in Voldemort's eyes, something incredibly close to, should he dare say it, regret.

"Yes, I regret his death," Voldemort said, but his face portrayed no emotion. "With such a formidable ability and extensive knowledge, he could have been most useful to my cause. Alas, the sad truth is, two suns cannot exist under the same sky. But now that Dumbledore is, as he would always say, on his next great adventure, there will be nothing that will stand in my path."

Harry's scar began to tingle once again, and Harry could almost feel Voldemort's excitement building up.

"Once Dumbledore heard of your dream, he immediately connected the dots. He, as I planned him to, realized that his Defense Professor was indeed my agent. I must admit, I would have been most disappointed had he not. My agent, my most faithful servant, did not have prior knowledge that he would be captured, for I could not allow Dumbledore to know what I was planning. One slip, and Dumbledore would have known in an instant that something was wrong. Secrecy was essential if my plans were to succeed."

Harry's scar now burned ferociously that he almost screamed in agony.

"And they have, Harry. Dumbledore and his entire order are dead, and yet, none but a few of my select followers are aware of my return, one of which, as you must now realize, was disguised as the other Alastor Moody who killed Dumbledore. Tonight will be a historic night, the beginning of a new age. My forces will swiftly conquer Magical Britain without anyone realizing it, and before long, the world in its entirety will be at the palm of my hand. And all this has been made possible because of you, Harry Potter. You have truly been a blessing in disguise."

Suddenly, Harry's pain vanished like it was never there before. The graveyard disappeared, and Harry saw Hogwarts burning, his beloved castle aflame. The Dark Mark stood proudly in the sky above the school, and there were corpses everywhere. His friends, his teachers, everyone he knew dead, all because of him. Then, Harry found himself back in the graveyard, and felt a single tear fall from his eyes.

"You had been most useful, Harry Potter," said Voldemort with finality, "but your use is now over. You are of no value to me anymore. Perhaps, it is time to finish what I've started fourteen years ago."

Voldemort approached Harry, his deadly yew wand pointing directly at the boy who lived. Harry closed his eyes and embraced death, death that would bring him back to his family. Death that would end his suffering.

But no incantation was heard, nor was a flash of deadly green light seen. Harry opened his eyes to see Voldemort lower his wand.

"What are waiting for?" Harry said with such desperation and terror that it broke through Voldemort's Silencing Charm. "Kill me. Finish what you've started."

"Trust me, Harry, nothing will bring me greater pleasure than to see you dead, lying lifelessly at my feet," Voldemort replied. "But death would be too quick, a blissful escape that you do not deserve considering the years of pain you have put me through. No, you will not die tonight, Harry. You will live, live for thirteen years in unending pain and agonizing helplessness. You will witness me emerge victorious above the corpses of your friends and despair in the knowledge that the Wizarding World will burn because of what you have done. And when you are completely and utterly broken, when you are driven insane in your helplessness and loneliness, when you have lost all hope and will to live, then I will take your life."

Voldemort raised his yew wand once more.

"Goodbye, Harry Potter. But do not worry; I will be sure to visit you soon."

A flash of blue light was the last thing Harry saw before the world turned black.

* * *

"Dumbledore! What is the meaning of this?" Cornelius Fudge demanded furiously as he rushed towards the old wizard, who stood in front of the stands with a group of men behind him.

The crowd murmured in confusion, wondering why the Headmaster, who had been mysteriously absent until now, came out with the Triwizard Cup instead of Harry Potter.

"Why have you come out with the cup? Who are these men behind you? And where is Mister Potter?"

The man showed no indication of Fudge's words. He stared into the Minister's eyes, his blue eyes full of uncharacteristic malice. Slowly, he raised his wand, pointing it directly at the portly wizard.

"D-Dumbledore!" Fudge froze in terror. "W-what are you doing?"

" _Avada Kedavra_."

* * *

 _Massacre in Hogwarts by Albus Dumbledore! New Ministry Administration established!_

By Maurelle Selwyn

Tragedy has struck Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as Albus Percival Brian Wulfric Dumbledore and his followers brutally murdered hundreds of students, staff members, and guests.

Thousands gathered at Hogwarts as the Third and final Task of the prestigious Triwizard Tournament took place. The crowds cheered as the champions entered their tasks, not knowing that a massacre would soon take place.

At first, no one noticed anything peculiar. While three champions—Fleur Delacour, Viktor Krum, and Cedric Diggory—each gave up their task within an hour of the beginning, nothing else seemed particularly wrong. However, as hours and hours passed without any news of the last champion, Harry Potter, the crowd began growing uneasy.

At approximately eleven o'clock, a portkey activated, and Albus Dumbledore, with a dozen men, came out with the Triwizard Cup. When Dumbledore was approached by Minister Fudge, he swiftly murdered the Minister with a Killing curse. On cue, his men began shooting a barrage of deadly curses towards the stands. At the same time, a huge magical fire started in the nearby forest, trapping hundreds between the fire and the murderers.

"It was terrifying," stated one student who wished to remain anonymous. "I had to watch helplessly as they [Dumbledore and his men] murdered dozens of people each. They didn't seem human."

Another survivor commented, "We were in hell that night, and we saw devils in human flesh."

The murderers were only stopped when a dozen courageous wizards, led by Lucius Malfoy and Alastor Moody, stood up to fight against them. In a spectacular duel, Lucius Malfoy killed Albus Dumbledore and avenged the hundreds of people that had been mercilessly slaughtered that night. The rest of Dumbledore's men were also killed during the fight. The murderers' bodies were damaged beyond recognition, but their identities have been confirmed by reliable sources within the Ministry. The courageous wizards who fought the murderers are currently nominated for Order of Merlin: First Class.

Some of the most prominent casualties other than Minister Fudge include Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, and Igor Karkaroff, Headmaster of Durmstrang.

Albus Dumbledore's actions have been internationally condemned, and his positions as the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, as well as his Order of Merlin: First Class, were immediately revoked posthumously. Although some have claimed that Dumbledore would never do such a thing and suspected this event of foul play, Dumbledore's identification had been proven by the Ministry a few hours after the massacre.

Quickly after the massacre, Lucius Malfoy was made the interim Minister of Magic with emergency powers. The Minister officially placed Magical Britain in a state of emergency and began taking immediate actions to calm down the public. He ordered a purge within the Ministry of Dumbledore's supporters, and created an elite division within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement named the Knights of Walpurgis.

"I swear upon my ancestors and the Malfoy name that justice will be brought upon those who have caused the Hogwarts Massacre, directly or indirectly," Minister Malfoy stated.

Already, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, led by the newly-appointed Reginald Parkinson, has imprisoned eighty criminals who have been verified to have conspired the massacre.

Minister Malfoy also issued a temporary curfew and identification checks for all wizards and witches in Britain.

"While Dumbledore has been eliminated, his terrorist organization, the Order of the Phoenix, still remains active," Minister Malfoy commented. "These temporary safety policies will allow the Ministry to protect its citizens much more efficiently."

We, the Daily Prophet, give the new Minister and Administration full support in their endeavors to deliver justice and re-establish order in our nation after the tragic event.

In replacement of Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, former Potions Master, was appointed the Headmaster of Hogwarts, while Theodore Nott was chosen as the new Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. Many other respectable purebloods have been chosen to replace the traitors who have been removed during the Ministry purge.

Meanwhile, no news of Harry Potter has been heard since the Third Task. However, recent Ministry investigations have found evidence for Harry Potter's cooperation with Dumbledore's plans. Could Harry Potter have been a dark wizard all along?

 _See more about the Ministry Purge in Page Two.  
See more about Albus Dumbledore in Page Three.  
See more about the New Ministry Emergency Policies in Page Four._

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 ** _"_** _ **Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak."**_

-Sun Tzu, _The Art of War_ -

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 **Thank you for reading!**

~Feedback is appreciated, constructive or inflammatory~


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